I had to upload the pictures to my Picasa account and then transfer them to blogger directly from that account rather than from my computer. There always seems to be something. Anyway, you can see them in the previous post.

Yesterday, I went with friends to a place called the "Summit Resort" near Taichung, Taiwan. Really, I was quite surprised at how nice it was because I had never noticed the area before on my way to work. Once I entered through the gates though, I saw numerous rock gardens, a lake, and even a castle! I took numerous pictures but blogger doesn't seem to want to upload them at the moment. I'll try again later.

Taking the taxi to the San Antonio International Airport was the usual experience. The driver couldn't drive nor could he speak English very well. I counted myself lucky just to reach my destination. At the other end (Taiwan), where I was much more tired and irritable, the taxi at the airport was a pleasant surprise. First of all, the driver spoke excellent English even though he wasn't a native speaker. Also, he informed me wifi was available in the vehicle in case I wanted to use it. Finally, he asked me what kind of music I listened to and turned to a preset channel carrying that genre. It really felt like first class service or, at least, what service in America used to be like. I wish we could start importing competence and a stronger work ethic.

I can't help but admire the view from my hotel room in Taiwan. The first picture shows a park adjoining the hotel grounds. The second shows the mountains at the edge of the city. Taiwan has a spine running down it's center--can't wait to try some of the hiking in that area.﻿
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Actually, I arrived last Saturday but jetlag and work have conspired to keep me from posting. I feel much better now and am starting to acclimate to my new surroundings. My first observation is how hospitable my hosts have been. Not only did they put me up in a great hotel and provide me with a rental car, but they also have done everything they can to explain the culture to me. I will provide more information on this (and pictures) later today but the maid is knocking now!

I'm an American whose favorite hobby is traveling. Fortunately, I have a job that allows me to do this extensively. In the last 12 years, I have worked and lived in Slovakia, Japan, Djibouti (twice), Afghanistan, Georgia and Taiwan. In the rare moments I venture to the US, I live in San Antonio, Texas.